Hearts striker Craig Wighton joins league rivals ahead of permanent move

Craig Wighton has left Hearts for Dunfermline Athletic. Picture: SNS

The striker had previously agreed to join the Pars at the end of the season when his Tynecastle deal runs out.

He will see out the remainder of his Hearts contract and the rest of the season on loan at East End Park before joining permanently.

Wighton started the season as a key member of the first-team squad but fell down the pecking order in recent weeks, even more so when Armand Gnanduillet was added in January.

His last game for the club came from the start in a 3-1 loss to Dundee at the beginning of the year.

The player had been preparing to wait until the summer for the move after a deal before the close of the tranfer window couldn’t be completed.

“I was told then that I wasn’t in their plans and to find something else," Wighton told Dunfermline’s official website. “When I signed the pre-contract we were trying to get the loan done now. Hearts were saying that they didn’t want me to come here and start. It has just taken a lot longer than it probably should have.

“I don’t know what changed their mind but I’m just glad that they have because it would have meant that I was just training away with the reserves until the end of the season which made no sense. To come here and play a part until the summer and be here beyond that is good and I’m looking forward to it.”

Wighton hit seven goals for Hearts this campaign, including a memorable header against Hibs in the Scottish Cup semi-final.

He added: “At the start of this season I got in the team, I was scoring goals, playing well and then all of a sudden I was told that I wasn’t in the plans. These things happen in football.“As soon as I knew that I didn’t want to sit there until the end of the season. I’d rather go and play football, play games and I was delighted to get my future sorted for the summer but I was desperate to come here just now and play a part between now and the end of the season.”